Shipping container



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June E6, 1931.

J. G. WITTE SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 18, ,-1929 V mvgo @fama ATTORNEYS june 16, 931. J, G, W|TTE I 1,809,953 A SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed April 18, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 z/ M9 du 4 ATTORNEYS Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATiszN'il OFFICE l JAMES G. WITTE, or xiioizUK, IOWA, AssIeNOR 4OF ONE-HALF To iOWA vFIBER Box COMPANY, OP KEoxUx, IoWA,-A CORPORATION or DELAWARE, AND oNii-I-IALFl To' SOUTH WEST BOX COMPANY, OF SAND SPRINGS, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION F f DELAWARE Application filed April 18,

'[8 that it is suitable for expressing ice cream cans and the like, and which may be initial- 1y Shipped knocked-down and flat so as to take up a minimum space in the freight car, and may also be re-used several times.

rIhe best material known to me for making shipping containersv satisfying the above and other-well known requirements is corrugated fiber board, preferably of double thickness, such as is now widely used in making shipping containers for groceries, etc. However, some of the advantages of the invention may be realized by employing other materials.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a shipping container made of double thickness corrugated board, with the top shown open;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section through the saine, showing an ice cream can within the container Fig. 3 is an'enlaiged section showing a fragment of one of the walls of the container, showing how the corrugations extend at right angles; r 0

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the inside or liniii member, shown dat as for shipment, part being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan. view of the outside member of the container, shown fiat;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the part which fits over the lid of the can; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the cushioning and spacin member which fits between the part of Fig. and the foldable iiaps which close the top of the container.

Referring particularly to the drawings,

there is shown a shipping container which has its three inside dimensions such that it fits snugly over an icecream can.

body (shown in Fig. 6), twoinside ,lining and reinforcement members, each similar -vto 1 This con-l tainer is made Of six parts, viz., a collapsiblev SHIPPING CONTAINER 1929. Serial No. 356,070.k

over the ends of the canas indicated in Fig. 1.

The main body is formed from a single sheet 10 of corrugated board of double thickness, folded in three places to make airectangular body, with four integral end flaps 11, 12 at the top and bottom, respectively. To facilitate 1assembly with minimum trouble, the two ends of sheet 10 are united, preferably by a flexible hinge 13 (Fig. 6) of gummed cloth, so that while the body may be shipped flat, and hence stacked in tiersin thefreight cars, it may also be Opened to form a rectangular casing Or box, with end flaps ready for folding in along the crease lines 14, thus closinfr the top and bottom of the casing.

Vhen thc bottom is closed, a .rectangular reinforcing member 12a (made of two thicknesses of double corrugated board) is thrust i-nto position, as shown in Fig. 1, thus adding greatly to the strength and-rigidity ofy the -container and improving its insulating quality. y

After folding and securing the lower flaps 12, the casing is greatly reinforced and made a far better insulator by two liners, each of which islike the liner shown flattened out (as for shipment) in Fig. 4, the only difference being that one liner iits inside the other, and is appropriately dimensioned and creased to permit this. The liner 15 (Figs. 4 and 5) is of double corrugated board, with the corrugations running vertically, or longitudinally of the box or casing, whilethe inside liner 16, also of double corrugated board, has its corrugations running transversely, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. l-owever, the arrangement may be different, the aim being to have the corrugations of the liners extending at right angles to eachother yprimarily for maximum strength.

The box as so far described is now ready for the icc cream can, which, as shown in Fig. 2, yfits snugly inside of the box and reinforces the-same, the four inside surfaces of the box being in tangential' contact with the metallic can. Thus collapsing of the box with the can inside is made practically impossible, the box being in fact stronger than one made of Wood in its resistance to damage from handling.

Tov close the 4top and prevent any longitudinal movement of the ice cream can, a pair of spacing and cushioning members 17, 18 are used. lThe first of theseis shown in Fig. 7 and is square, fiat and made of two double corrugated boards glued or otherwise secured together,ywith the corrugations of the two pieces extending at right angles, as clearly shown.I To receive the lid handle of the ice cream can, the member 17 has a central slot 19. The thickness of member 17 exceeds the amount of protrusion of the handle of the iid above the lid itself, so that the handle is completely surrounded by the member 17 and does not cause any bulging at the top of the box when the latter is completely closed for shi ment.

ver the reinforcing and spacing member 17, the member 18 is laid, as shown in Fig. 1. This last may be double corrugated board, as shown, and lies directly below the four top iaps 11 when folded in. The parts are so dimensioned that it is necessary to press the two spacing members 17 18 irml in place, and close the flaps with some orce, thus obviating an movement of the can or loosening of its li with consequent injury to the ice cream inside.

The top flaps 11 are secured in any desired way, as by a glued strip 20 (Fig. 1) or by a few staples (not shown). It will be clear that while I have referred to the fia s 11 as the to flaps, the box 10 has no top or ottom, and t e shi per may start from either end, when assembling the container.

When the container with the can therein is received by the retailer, the top is opened by cutting the strip 20, and folding back iiaps 11, and the reinforcement 18 is lifted out by hooking a finger through alhole 21 (Fig. 8) near one corner (so 'as not to be alined with slot 19). Then reinforcement 17 is removed, andthe top of the can is exposed. The can may be removed and set in a cool place, or it may be left in the shipping container if its contents are to be dispensed within a short time. Almost invariably the container will be received in such good condition that it can be shipped back with the empty can in it, thus facilitating return of the empty cans, and eliminating the nuisance of flies in hot weather and the soiling of hands and clothes from the dirtycans.

The 'described shipping container is remarkable alike for its strength and for its insulating quality. The bottom, as shown in Fig. 1, consists of four thicknesses of double board, the four sides are of three thicknesses of double board, and the top has three thicknesses of double board overlaid by two thicknesses from the four folded flaps 11, or a total of ve thicknesses of double board everywhere except above slot 19, and three thick- 05 nesses above said slot. The offsetting ofperforation 21 relative to slot 19 prevents air currents from reachin the top of the can.

Another feature is t at the six parts which are assembled to make the shipping container are all made of the same material, namely, double corrugated board. This makes for economy of manufacture. Furthermore, the criss-crossing of the corrugated board not only enhances the strength, but prevents some circulation of air inside the box which would otherwise take place.

Other advantages of the .box are its lightness, its strength, its immunity from injury arising from handling during shipment, its thermal insulating eficiency, and the fact that it cannot be assembled incorrectly.

Finally, the fact that all six parts of the box may be stacked in tiers because of their atness, leads to great economies in shipping the containers from the factory making them, because almost every inch of a freight car may be filled with the tually no dead space. 1f the box were not ollapsible, a great deal of space would be ost.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described.

'W hat I claim is 1. A shipping container comprising, in combination, an outside casing of corrugated ber board of double thickness creased so as to be collapsible to be shipped at and which may be expanded to form a rectangular body; foldable flaps integral with said casing and completely closing the two ends thereof; a corrugated fiber board liner which may be flattened out and which is creased to v be folded and received within the rectangular casing and of such dimensions as to contact on all sides with the body which is to be shipped in the container; a second corrugated fiber boardl liner enclosing the rst and interposed between and in contact with `both the casing and the first liner; said second liner being creased so as to be capable of shipment in the fiat and also foldable to fit in the cas-k ing; the inner liner having its corrugations extending transversely of the box and being smooth on its interior face; and means for closing the end flaps of the body.

2. A shipping container composed principally of corrugated fiber board, comprising, 1n combination, an outside casino' or body which is collapsible to be `shippefl fiat an which may be expanded to form a rectangular body; foldable flaps integral with'said casing and completel closing the two ends thereof; a liner whic maybe flattened outl and which is creased to be received within the rectangular casing and of such dimensions as to contact on all sides with the body which is to oe shipped in the container; reinforcing, insulatin and spacing members both at the top an at the bottom of the casbox parts, with viring, inside of the fiaps when folded each member being of two thicknesses of double board glued together;the reinforcing member at the top having a central slot cut to deceive a handle or the like and having a thickness at least equal to the height of the handle so that the latter does not project above the reinforcing member; another reinforcing,`insulatin and spacing member tting within the er directly above said slotted member to close said slotv and cover `said handle; and means for closing the end flags of the body.

testimony-that I claim the foregoing as myyown Ihave hereunto affixed my-slgnature.

JAMES G. W1TTE. g 

